Materia Medica Lesson 2-4: Ganoderma

 Yes, another repeat. But, at least we finally have the instructions for making Ganoderma extract!

Ganoderma - Reishi Reishi Double Extraction

1. Powder, as well as possible, 2 parts Reishi. (1200 g)

2. Macerate 1 part Reishi (600g) with 5 parts menstrum (3 Liters). This is how much fluid it takes to cover that fluffy Reishi: Menstrum = 1 part 95% ETOH (1L) & 2 parts Glycerine (2L)

3. Let sit 2 weeks or so. Press (Retrieve 2/3 of original menstrum = 2L) Reserve marc for decoction.

4. Add 1Liter 95% ETOH to pressed menstrum. Macerate 2nd part Reishi (600g) with this 3L of menstrum (again a 1:5 ratio).

5. Let sit 2 weeks or so. Press. Measure volume of tincture made (should be about 2L).

6. Final extract should be 1:4 overall. We started with 2 parts Reishi (1200g) so final extract will be 8 parts (4800mL). Double decoct both batches of marc with just enough water to cover. (Together or separately). Press and concentrate so that desired final extract volume minus the tincture equals the decoction concentrate.

7. Combine when cool. IMPORTANT! Pour tincture into tea to avoid excess precipitation.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Reishi Extraction (Robyn Klein)

Here is the recipe for a 70% water / 30% alcohol reishi extract For a kitchen-manageable amount, chop up only 3 whole dried medium-sized reishi mushrooms. Use Felco or Corona hand clippers. If you chop more than this you will have to use much larger containers to cook and strain into. Three mushrooms will make about 500mls extract.

First, here is a quick overview of the process:

Step 1: Weigh chopped herb.

Step 2: Make tincture using 100% alcohol (EtOH).

Step 3: Strain and press the marc (save the marc!).

Step 4: Make a 1:10 decoction with the marc.

Step 5: Add decoction and tincture together to make a 30/70 extract.

Fill in and follow this form below:

Weigh chopped reishi = _______ grams/ounces Example: 110 grams of dried, hand chopped reishi.

Put chopped reishi in a large enough jar to accommodate the menstruum below.

Cover the chopped reishi with pure Everclear (95% alcohol) for two weeks. But how much?

Weight of reishi _______ x 5 = _______ mls of Everclear will be needed to cover the herb. Example: 110 x 5 = 550 mls of Everclear

Strain and squeeze marc as much as possible. Save marc!

Measure how much tincture resulted and record here = _______ . Bottle and label the tincture and set aside for later. Put marc in top of double boiler and add water. How much water? Original dry weight of herb = _______ x 10 = _______ total amount of water to start off with.

Start cooking down, but donʼt boil! Plan on 2 hours. Strain off marc and toss marc. Continue cooking down the decoction. But to what amount? To figure this amount, fill in the numbers in the following calculation:

Amount of tincture _______ divided by .3 = _______ . Subtract this number above _______ from 1.00 which will equal = _______ . Take this number and multiply it by .7 = _______ . This is the amount of decoction which you will need to add to the tincture to give a 30% alcohol/70% decoction extract. Rounding off the numbers to the nearest whole number is just fine. Herbalism is not about rigidity.

To check your math add the amount of tincture _______ to the amount of decoction _______ = _______. Then multiply this final amount _______ by .3 (30%) = _______. And multiply the final amount _______ by .7 (70%) = _______. Add these amounts together to get the total amount = _______.

When decoction has cooked down to the amount you need, cool the decoction and then add it to tincture.

Store in a dark glass container and label with the following:

Reishi Extract Ganoderma lucidum/30% Alcohol/70% Decoction

Here is the link to the Southwest School of Botanical Medicine Course

https://www.swsbm.com/school/